The shock was paramount when he walked out of the flash, white limousine on the Saturday morning for Hoffs training before the side’s crunch double-header against FC Eagles1188. Sauntering down the steps, giving a cheeky wink to the adoring Hoffs fans, clutching a brief case in one hand and a pint of Guinness in another. Denashpot had come to town.

Who? You might ask.

Denashpot, based in Cork, is the current Irish number one of the 178 Irish managers assembled on the game as active Official League coaches. Shrouded from the limelight, the promising coach has risen to prominence in recent seasons with a series of big promotions with his now (former) Major League side, Red Warriors B Team.

The Warriors – then, Muscle Yankee – were a side struggling to maintain consistency and a sustained period of manager steadiness as the club flickered between Divisions 5 and 7 during their first fifteen seasons in existence. Then, Denashpot, a relatively new manager on xperteleven, was tasked with the responsibility to transform the struggling Yankee from lower division strugglers into a much more competitive outfit. And sixteen seasons since the day Denashpot darkened the doors of the Major League side, he has exceeded those expectations far beyond the club and their supporters could scarcely imagine as they reside in Major League’s Division 1b, just one promotion away from the big leagues.

In his first press conference as the recently appointed Hoffs manager, with glasses of Guinness’ all round, Denashpot reflected on his time as Warriors manager and how close he had actually come to missing out on the position.

“It was a shock to be honest. I wanted a change and a new challenge for a while and I was just checking into the site one day, checked the job centre and saw this job up with 4 hours to go and 30 odd applicants and just applied. It was the 2nd job I ever applied for and I didn't put much thought into it and was surprised I got the job.”

“I think I had taken them as far as I could. They are in very good shape. It was a proud moment getting them to division 1. Looking at the Golden league’s top team, The Wunderdogs, The Warriors would have been more than able to win the Golden League.”

The Hoffs themselves have been on a roller-coaster ride in the last few seasons. Built by the magnificent team-builder, CosmicRichie and fought to glory by Malaysia’s most protuberant coach, Meotraju, the Hoffs went on a winning spree collecting four successive Golden League titles and reaching a club best quarter final in the XCL under Meotraju before their recent barren spell zipping down the divisions almost as quickly as they rose through them.

The club is now maturing with a vast array of talent across the board including the intelligent midfielders, Lizarralde and Brander; a rapidly upcoming backline which includes the experienced Eum and Hirst; and a seasoned goalscorer in Oswald Hills up front, a player who has scored six in the first four games for the Hoffs this season.

Denashpot is joining a side however that have been there, been down the altar and signed the divorce papers as their day reached its endpoint. The expectations will be higher now that they have had their success than they were before Meotraju was assigned to the role of manager. The knives will be out if the Hoffs fail to live up to the success and Denashpot was quick to recognise this and express his thoughts about the side is has inherited.

“Of course. They are 4 times champs. Expectations will always be high. We don't belong down here and hopefully won't be here for long.”

“Felix Andújar stands out. His development is poor this season due to lack of playing time and injury so we will struggle to get him to increase this season which is a shame. The midfield looks very good and is probably our strongest area. We just need to add another defender and we will do that at the end of the season.”

With six games of the season played when Denashpot joined the side, the club were lying in the drop zone of Division 5:32 and had just been eliminated from the cup after a 4-1 demolition and humiliation against Thames Ditton Athletic of Division 4g, the match which had led to Meotraju’s dismissal from the club. But Denashpot has already worked his magic with the side claiming a hugely impressive and necessary double-header victory against fellow strugglers, FC Eagles 1188 and his side bounced out the drop zone as a result. Looking forward, Denashpot was full of optimism for his side, for both their immediate and long-term futures.

“We are only 4 points off 2nd place so our aim is to catch them and of course avoid relegation.”

“We aim to get back to where we belong and add to the trophy cabinet. Looking at the teams up there it won’t be as hard as the Major League.”

Denashpot certainly says all the right things, something which will please the Hoffs faithful after seasons of discontent, unrest and disappointment due to fallings out between the board and manager of the club. With a new direction, a vibrant young side and a new coach at the club, the Hoffs with a pinch of Irish charm and luck will hope that their club will be battling towards the top of the Golden League and the major honours in no time. Whether Denashpot can deliver when the pressure is on and the resources are more plentiful compared to the resources he had at the Warriors remain to be seen. Despite his optimism though reverberating through his side, he was slightly more abrasive when quizzed about whether he could become the first Irishman to enter the illustrious Hall of Fame as XCL winner, preferring to thrust a rival and friend into the starlight as a future big time winner.

“I would like to think so but it’s a very tough ask. My money is on Bouncebackability being the first Irishman to win the XCL. He’s building a nice team and is a great tactician as well.”

Thoughts of winning the XCL can be put on the back burner for now but given the Hoffs’ potential and their immaculate position as one of the Golden League’s most successful ever sides, the least that Hoffs fans will expect of their manager is to at least start to bring the Hoffs back to the top and where their rightful position is in the upper echelons of the Golden League.

Who knows, maybe one day we might be talking of Denashpot eclipsing Meotraju and providing the XCL glory that Hoffs fans have always craved. Always the bridesmaid but never the bride? Maybe a little ounce of Irish luck is just what’s needed to bring the Hoffs back to happier times.

Blooming wunderful or woofing lucky?

Blob’s men lead the table despite the boss’ claims of fortune

The Golden League has always been the home of great surprises. From Suceava’s cup win, to the surprisingly short reign of Hungarian side Folt Ördögök, from West Ham Boys’ ‘krazy’ and Nasty’s… well ‘nasty’ run to the XCL Final, to Winnywinny’s promotion come champion of the top tier – it’s never a place thin on astonishment. Yet Blob’s Wunderdogs leading the table undefeated after eight games must rank there amongst the very best.

Following the upward trend of The Wunderdogs, you would not be surprised to see them topping the table at this early stage but that’s forgetting the statistics. The statistics which show The Wunderdogs as only the fourth strongest Golden League side, the second poorest and a squad whose wholesale value is less than half of both Fortuna Killepitsch and Prestwich Heys. Yet it is THEM who top the league table. And it’s no fluke either. A 0-6 away massacre of Trambolhos SAD was just the start of a phenomenal run which has seen them take wins against 2-Tone Army, Prestwich Heys and four points in the crucial double-header against last season’s runaway winners, Fortuna Killepitsch.

Three weeks ago, Blob released a press statement warning of the dangers of assuming his minions as title challengers despite the side’s four point lead at the top of the Golden League and though that has now been cut to three, The Wunderdogs are still unbeaten and pivotally, do not have to play Fortuna Killepitsch again.

If you thought that was a surprise then get a load of the side immediately behind them!

Haugar Terrierne were Division 1a champions last season and everyone’s favourite for the drop this campaign but after eight games, the club are second in the division and hot on the heels of the leaders with some big wins against Trambolhos and 2-Tone, even a 3-0 defeat at Fortuna could not perturb the new side’s resurgence but they will have to nervously check behind them as Prestwich Heys trailing Terrierne on goal difference alone, chasing their first Golden League title with Abbs.

Place

Team

Games Played

W

D

L

GF-GA

GD

Points

1st

The Wunderdogs

8

5

3

0

23-9

14

18

2nd

Haugar Terrierne

8

4

3

1

20-13

7

15

3rd

Prestwich Heys

8

4

3

1

17-10

7

15

The bottom of the table is even less clearer but just as surprising. Trambolhos SAD, twice runners up, the most recent of those coming just two seasons ago, are bottom of the pile on one point and look cut adrift at the bottom needing to win at least four of their last six to even have a chance of survival. The other four sides – including the champions of the last three seasons, 2-Tone Army and Fortuna Killepitsch – are among those sides battling to avoid the drop. All four are split by just three points with six games of the season to go and the smart money would be on two of the four – providing Haugar and Prestwich do not suffer a horrendous run of form or Trambolhos do not manage a miraculous late season recovery – joining Trambolhos in dropping to Division 1 next season.

Place

Team

Games Played

W

D

L

GF-GA

GD

Points

4th

Fortuna Killepitsch

8

3

2

3

15-13

2

11

5th

Fists of FISO

8

3

1

4

14-12

2

10

6th

2-Tone Army

8

3

1

4

12-15

-3

10

7th

Crusaders F.C.

8

2

2

4

9-18

-9

8

8th

Trambolhos SAD

8

0

1

7

9-29

-20

1

But the man of the moment is Blob. The Norfolk based manager is just six matches away from a triumphant and inaugural Golden League title but with the pressure mounting from behind, can his side hold it together and turn their points advantage into the silverware in what could turn out to be The Wunderdogs’ only ever shot at the Golden League title with many players now on the wrong side of thirty? Or will their ambitions evaporate quicker than Andy Stewart and Nate Denslow’s playing careers?

Blob’s motto talks about lions and it may take the hearts of lions to stave off the threat that Haugar, Prestwich and possibly even Fortuna may yet pose from behind. A long battle awaits…

Any other business

Cup

The cup had been rather mundane of big name exits until the sixth round when, suddenly, the top division sides started dropping like flies. First second placed Haugar Terrierne fell in the televised fixture – by a 5-0 scoreline… however as it was Fortuna Killepitsch who defeated them, claiming that as a shock would be stretching the definition of ‘cupset’ somewhat.

Haugar were soon joined on the sidelines though by 2-Tone Army and Prestwich Heys with both missing out in epic fashion. The Heys took on Raaterannan Raisut and despite taking the lead in the 2nd minute, were eventually seen off 2-3 by the Finnish side’s powerful midfield engineered by the clever mind of coach, Konitohtori. 2-Tone Army were in action against Division 2’s Kalifornication S.A.D and were out-battled by the Spanish side, losing 3-4 with Kalifornication captain Edgar Chenery particularly impressing pitching in with two assists and a captain’s influence.

Elsewhere there were wins for Club 662 – winners two seasons ago – Dynamo Kingston FC and also for former winners Darnmeister against Fusion as well as former finalists Olympique Lyon and Denver Broncos whilst last season’s quarter finalists, Evil Monkey II got the better of former Golden League champions Porto Knights to the tune of a 1-0 scoreline. But the biggest news has got to be that the wonderfully named Vodka FC are no longer in the competition, beaten 2-0 by Rapid Totonka and for that we may all light a candle in sadness at this iconic moment in the Golden League Sixth Round. Done? Good. Let’s move onto the seventh round draw…

Raaterannan Raisut vs Fortuna Killepitsch

MP Hammer FC vs The Wunderdogs

Trambolhos SAD vs Red Angels

Rapid Tatonka vs Evil Monkey II

Aradenii vs fc fredentorp

Kalifornication S.A.D. vs Club 662

Hang Tuah vs Prior Lake FC

Catbeaver Queens vs Tottenham Whites

FC Gelsenkirchen vs Viggan

Ivo Knottrimmers vs Totti Team

Smith Team vs Manchester United S.S.

Arrow vs Woznot Athletic

Patadón vs Palante -Failures

Djupviken IF vs Just Do It

Darnmeister FC vs Olympique Lyon

FC Canof Whoopass vs Venus Bucuresti

So some interesting ties lie in store! Raaterannan Raisut’s “reward” for taking out Prestwich Heys is a tie against last season’s double winners, Fortuna Killepitsch, the Golden League leaders are in action against MP Hammer FC of Division 4 and former Golden League winners Viggan will face German opposition in the form of FC Gelsenkirchen. Also, don’t despair fans of teams with funny names! FC Canof Whoopass are still in it and they will face Venus Bucuresti for a place in the 8th round. All the best to all sides still competing, may the strongest and most Golden sides win!

XCL

Fortuna Killepitsch (Group D): It has been a near vintage season in the Xpert Champions League for Fortuna Killepitsch so far whom have collected seven points out of an available nine for the opening three games of the XCL season. Fortuna started the season’s XCL campaign with a vitally important win away at FC Porto 90 (League of Champs) but were left frustrated by a Srebrenko Spasic disallowed goal as ten man Partizan BGD (Euro League) clung on to seal their first ever XCL point. Fortuna put that disappointment behind them though to claim top spot with a come-from-behind-win against early pace setters, Lusitanian Warriors (Ultimate League). The visitors took the lead on 26 minutes through Almiro Barrocas but were then rocked by lone striker, Zé Alguém’s red card almost immediately after the restart and had no answers to three Fortuna Killepitsch goals. A comeback victory which may make all the difference come the end of the group phase.

Serbian White Eagles (Group F): An ugly looking campaign for Rontoto’s men was given a timely boost this week when the Eagles claimed their first points of the campaign with a surprise away win against Sidro Ultras (Classic League). Prior to this the Eagles had suffered from under-preparation at the beginning of their XCL journey, being humbled 6-1 on the opening day by Heróis de Portugal (Power League) – a lesson duly learnt. A tamer defeat at home to Rbjayb’s EX6 (Dream League) followed though even that wasn’t without its ramifications after club captain Jake Bucket went off injured. The win against the Ultras though is sure to give the Eagles some confidence they were seriously lacking in the first two games of the competition and a much greater chance of arising from a group which is very much for the taking this season in the XCL, just three points behind the first two sides in Group F.